Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge Therapy Prior to Surgery in a Patient With Echinococcus Cyst Rupture: A Case Report and Literature Review

TL;DR

A rare case of a young patient with a ruptured echinococcus cyst in the lungs was supported with ECMO before surgery.

Contribution

This case report highlights the novel use of ECMO as a bridge therapy for echinococcosis before surgical intervention.

Findings

ECMO provided necessary oxygenation and stabilization before surgery for a patient with ruptured echinococcus cyst.

The case demonstrates ECMO's potential as a life-saving bridge therapy in complex echinococcosis cases.

Literature review confirms the rarity of such cases and the effectiveness of surgical removal of cysts.

Abstract

Tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus cause parasitic disease in humans through the ingestion of eggs in contaminated food and water. Rupture of slowly enlarging cysts in the liver, lungs, and other organs can be life-threatening and many deaths are recorded yearly worldwide. Surgery and removal of such cysts remain the most effective treatment. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) routinely placed in the ICU in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), may provide time and adequate oxygenation for the completion of surgery in echinococcosis cases. In this article, we present a rare case of pulmonary echinococcosis in a young patient requiring ECMO support prior to surgery.

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